Improvement in seal-locks



J. KINZER.

Seal-Loc,k.s.

Patented May 6,1873.

l rm

UNITED -STATEs PATENT QEEICE.

JACOB KINZER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, ROB- ERTPITCAIRN, DAVID M. WATT, AND JOHN J. TORLEY, OF SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN SEAL-LOCKS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,566, dated May 6,1873; application iiled Y March 3, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known '.that I, J AeoB KINZER, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Locks; and I do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, in which-Figure l is a plan view of my improved lock, which is represented aspartially broken away for the purpose of illustrating the manner ofsecuring the bolt. Fig. 2 is alike view of the same, the face-platebeing removed to illustrate the operation of the lock. Fig. 3 is an edgeview, the hinged cover of the. lock-case being thrown back; and Fig. 4is a view of the seal I use in connection with the lock.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each.

My invention relates to an improved construction of a seal-lock forrailroad-car and other doors where seal-locks are desired; and consists,rst, in combining a locking-shank having an arm and a T-head with theswinging dog of a lock-case, and suitably arranged for holding the dogin an unlocked position when unsealed, and retaining, after locking andsealing, a metallic seal placed thereon; second, in the construction ofa metallic seal having an oblong slot, over which the T-head of theshank may be turned to secure it in place, and also having overlappinglips or other equivalent stop device to prevent the rotation ofthe seal;and, third, in combining a hinged lid arranged to cover the key-hole,and also by a-ceutral opening to expose a shipping-card with barbs forholding the card, and also with a non-rotating seal and T-headed shank,all substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willdescribe its construction and mode of operation.

The closed case a, which isattached to the plate g, contains athree-tumbler spring locking-dog, c, pivoted at any suitable point, asat b', and provided with a hook-catch, c1. Above the locking-dog c is ashank, d, which extends through the front or face of the case a. 'Ihisshank is provided with an arm, d1, which operates inside the lock-case,against, and as a stop to, the dog c, in the following manner: The dogc, being actuated by a spring, can only be drawn back or swung around toan unlocking position by the use of a key. When drawn back for thepurpose of unlocking the car-door, the arm dl, which formerly occupiedthe position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, parallel with the straightface c2, being actuated by the spring e coiled around it, is thrownaround, as shown in Fig. 2, against the straight face c2 of the dog c.This holds the lock open, and obviates the necessity of using thekeyj'for this purpose. The arm d1 cannot force the dog c back, as shownin Fig. 2, because the spring e is not sufficiently powerful for thatpurpose,being intended only to throw the arm d1 against the dog when thelatterV is drawn back. In addition to this, the spring lockingdog b isnot suited to such operation of the arm dl, as it is provided with astop which prevents its being unlocked, so as to draw back the catch c1without the use of the proper key. The top of the shank d is providedwith a T-head, d2, whereby it may be turned back to the position shownby the dotted lines in Fig. 2. On one end of the plate g are two guidesor holders, h h', standing opposite to the opening fi in the side of thecase a. The guides hold the sliding bolt 7c, which cannot be Withdrawnentirely therefrom because of the stop k encountering the side of theguide h. The forward end of the bolt is hook-shaped, so as to hook ontothe hook-catch c1 in locking and when locked. The guide It is providedwith a recess for the passage of the stop lo. In addition to its otherfunction, the guide h operates as a staple over which the hasp of thecar-door is placed. When the door is locked the hasp lies below thesliding bolt lc at m. The upper face of the case a is provided with akey-hole, f for the insertion of the, key f. The upper face of thelock-case a, in-

cluding the key-hole f', is covered by the hinged lid a, whichisrecessed so that it will close down over the projecting head of theshank d, and has a center opening, al, and two openings, a2, for theprojection of the barbs p, one at each end of the longitudinal openingal. The opening nl is made for the purpose of containing a shipping ordirection card, g, such card being placed on the barbs p before the lidn is shut down, so that when the lid is closed it will be held in place,and the inscription upon it shall show through the opening` nl.

This lock is designed tov be used with a seal in such a manner that whenit is locked and sealed the lid a is closed and covers the keyhole f',and cannot be opened to give access to the key-hole without breaking theseal. The seal i", shown in Fig. 4, is a light casting of any brittlemetal, or metallic composition, or rigid frangible material7 and has aslotted opening, r1, of such shape as to fit over the iop of the shankd, and overlapping lips fr, which are designed to extend over the edgeof the case a at s, to prevent its rotation. The manner in which thisseal is used is as follows: The dog c is drawn back by means of the keyf so as to allow the arm d1 of the shank d to spring around in theposition shown in Fig. 2. The hooked end of the bolt 7c is then pushedpast the hook-catch c1, and the lid n is shut down. Then the seal i isslipped over the head d2 of the shank d, and rested upon the closed lidu, with its lips r2 extending over the edge s of the case a. The shank dis then turned by means of the T-head or thumb-piece d2 to the positionshown in Fig. 1. This turns the arm d1 to the position indicated by thedotted lines in Fig. 2, and thereby releases the dog c, which springsforward, causing the hook-catch c1 to hook into the bolt k, as shown inFig. l. When the seal o" is in this position it cannot be removed exceptby breaking it. The shank l cannot be turned until the dog c is drawnback, and this can only be done by the key f, which cannot be usedbecause the key-holef/ is covered by the lid a, which in its turn cannotbe opened until the seal i is taken off'. The seal i" cannot be turnedso as to make the opening r1 parallel with the T-head d2 because of thelips r2, which extend down over the edge s of the case a, and hence canbe removed only by breaking. Instead of the lips r2, dowel-pins or othersuitable device may be employed to prevent the rotation of the seal.When it is desired to open the lock the seal r is broken, the lid 'nraised, as shown in Fig.

3, and then by means ofthe key f the dog is turned back so as to releasethe bolt 7c, as shown in Fig. 2. The bolt may then be Withdrawn topermit the hasp to be taken oi of the staple h. Any suitable spring-lockmay be employed.

The lock is secured to the side of the car by screws passing through theholes t in the plate g, and the hasp extends over from the car-door tothe staple h. When sealed this lock cannot be tampered with withoutbreaking the seal. This fact will prevent many persons from meddlingwith it who would, were the keyhole exposed, attempt to open the lock bymeans of false or fraudulently-procured keys. In addition to this, thefastening between the bolt 7c and the lock isentirely closed, and cannotbe reached except by breaking away the face of the lock. This is anadditional guard against persons tampering with it.

It will be observed that when the dog is thrown back sufficient room isprovided at the opening i for the insertion ot' the bolt, with its hookengaging the hook o1 of the dog, as a matter of convenience in locking.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. The shank d, having an arm, d1, and a T'- head, d2, in combinationwith the swinging dog of a lock, and suitably arranged for holding thedog in an unlocked position when unsealed, and retaining, after lockingand sealing, a metallic seal placed thereon, substantially as set forth.

2. A metallic seal, i", having an oblong slot, r1, over which theT-headd2 may be turned to secure it in place, and overlapping lips r2,or other equivalent stop device to prevent its rotation, substantiallyas and for the purposes described.

3. The hinged lid n, arranged to cover the key-hole, and also by acentral opening, nl, to expose a shipping-card, q, in combination withbarbs lo for holding the card, the non-rotatin g seal fr, and T-head d2,substantially as setv forth.

In testimony whereof I, the said JACOB K1N- ZER, have hereunto set myhand.

JACOB KINZER. Witnesses:

A. S. NICHOLSON, Trios. B. KEER.

